New transfer station rules

Published 8:00 pm, Sunday, October 4, 2009

NORWALK

Staff Report

On Monday, Oct. 5 at 11:30 a.m. at the Norwalk Transfer Station residents can use a separate green recycling bin for all of their mixed paper products in lieu of bundling paper or placing them in brown paper bags.

While residents can still use paper bags or bundle for their curb-side recycling if they choose, Mayor Richard A. Moccia said "since many of us use our own bags at stores now, we don't have brown paper bags for recycling our paper, so I worked with city staff to identify a way to make recycling paper easier."

Residents can purchase both green and blue recycling bins at the Crescent Street Transfer Station for $10 each or two for $15. The green bin should be placed next to or beneath your blue bin on your curb-side recycling day. Mixed paper products that can be recycled include magazines, junk mail, phone books, newspaper, and paperboard. Corrugated cardboard should still be bundled separately.

In July, the City of Norwalk expanded its curb-side commingled container recycling program to include plastic numbers 3 through 7, in addition to the No. 1 and No. 2s already collected.

"Residents now have additional recycling options for their commingled containers like yogurt containers, laundry jugs, and cosmetic bottles," the mayor announced.

"Previously these items were thrown in the trash and every ton of garbage costs the city about $75 to dispose of, while the city earns $17.50 in revenue for every ton of recycling collected," he said. In addition, the Crescent Street Transfer Station accepts rigid plastics for recycling such as big wheels, children's playhouses and plastic furniture, and 5 gallon buckets

Mayor Moccia said that recycling is a win-win for the City of Norwalk "as we are protecting the environment on a global scale and saving the taxpayers money."

Any questions about what can be recycled in the City of Norwalk can be answered by the city's Customer Service Center at (203) 854-3200. Be sure to check the city's Web site at www.norwalkct.org for updated information.